The purpose of the guard of the present invention is to help protect a closed, post-operative sternal incision during showering and bathing. It is important to keep such an incision dry, during the healing process, to decrease the risks of irritation and infection; a bandage or dressing, as well as the adhesive properties of any kind of tissue, glue, or adhesive strip applied to the incision, should also be protected against water contact.
It would be highly desirable for a person showering or bathing, post-operatively, to have his or her hands and arms free for body- and hair-washing, lathering, and rinsing, without needing to hold some type of protective cover over the closed incision, thus affording convenience and promoting a sense of independence. In regard to infants and babies, it would be similarly desirable to provide a caregiver with the ability to use both hands for holding and washing the child, making the bathing process much safer while keeping the closed incision dry, or at least substantially so.
Thus, it is the broad object of the present invention to provide a novel guard for the protection of a post-operative sternal incision against exposure to water during showering or bathing. It is a more specific object of the invention to provide such a guard which can be worn by an individual, thus leaving his or her arms and hands, or those of a caregiver, free for washing, lathering, and rinsing. Additional objects of the invention are to provide a guard having the foregoing features and advantages which also affords protection against microorganism growth, is convenient to use, is disposable, recyclable, environmentally conscientious, and inexpensive to manufacture.